This is something very cool, and the funny part is, if you didn't see it as a child or when it was a prime time series YOU don't like it!! A-team is not even a un political series, nope nothing controversial here, the A-team never kills a bad guy, they don't even wound them!! but the way B.A. Throws a bad guy over a car or when Hannibal says "I love it when a plan comes together" you don't even notice that this is in fact a family show. When I was a but a wee lad, this was the show I loved and heres the loser part, I STILL DO!! there has been many legendary shows of this period, Magnum P.I., Airwolf and Knight Rider, but A-team is in an entirely other league!! God bless George Peppard and his Legendary A-Team ill follow you in to combat anytime.... And i still do!!!
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Boba_Fett11381 May 2005Seriously, who didn't grew up with "The A-Team"? Watching an "The A-Team" episode was always an adventure, the next day I would always talked about with my friends, how 'neat' it all was. Everybody loved "The A-Team"!
However it is a completely ridicules series to watch these days of course. Basically ever episode is build up the same; Someone with trouble hires the A-Team, A-Team comes, A-Team kicks butt, A-Team builds something, A-Team saves the day. Also occasionally Murdock first has to escape from the mental hospital and B.A. has to be drugged because there are going to fly. There are lot of these repeating returning moments in "The A-Team". It's ridicules but somehow you never get tired of it.
Absolutely best thing are the characters. The four main persons are excellent on their own but even better when they were together. Especially Murdock and B.A. were at their best when they were together in a scene. Hannibal (George Peppard) is the leader and always the man with the plan, he sometimes disguises himself in silly looking costumes. Put a pillow beneath his shirt, give him a fake mustache and a big fat cigar and voilà, he is a businessman. B.A. (Mr. T) is the strong almost indestructible man with his trademark golden chains and his fear of flying and his love for milk. Face (Dirk Benedict) is the ladies man who often uses his charm as his weapon. Murdock (Dwight Schultz) is the crazy fool and the pilot of the bunch. Every character has his own specialty, it's simple but works effective for a TV-series like this.
The action was also often the same, all of the car chases were always filmed at the same way and it was extremely obvious at times that they used puppets during certain stunts. Also it was amazing to see how everybody always survived the biggest crashes and explosions.
Always one of the highlights of an episode was when our hero's were building something. They build some most amazing things at times such as tanks. Like "MacGyver", all they ever needed was a pack of bubblegum, some duct tape and a screwdriver.
It is too bad that the final season was a disgrace. Sure it had the wonderful Robert Vaughn always in a fairly large role but the fun element was really gone in the last season. Often the stories were extremely ridicules even for "The A-Team" standards and it simply was not fun or enjoyable to watch. Also the final episode was an huge disappointment. Basically is was just a standard episode like any other from season 5 without anything special that would indicate that this was the final episode.
Still I will always have fond memories of "The A-Team" and I often watch the re-runs. I think I have seen every single episode at least three times now but it just is something you'll never grow tired of.
8/10
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rajashakaziz21 April 2021The A Team is about four army fugitives on the run from the US Government for over 10 years for a crime they did not commit. All of them had their own unique ability.
The leader of the group. Colonel John ( Hannibal ) Smith GEORGE PEPPARD. A great planner and disguiser.
Next Lt Templeton ( Faceman ) Peck DIRK BENEDICT. A Conman. He can basically get you anything you need, scammer a con artist with good looks.
Sgt B. A Baracus MR T. A mechanical genius, ruthless and can square upto anyone. He is the muscle in the team and wears gold jewellery.
Finally Captain H. M Murdock. Dwight Schultz. The only one who is not wanted by the USArmy as he was declared insane. He was the teams pilot in the war. He lives in a mental institution and escapes when ever the team need his help.
These four gents weekly entertained our screens for almost 5 years. Such a shame it came to an end. Would of been perfect if they had some closure at the end. -
baumer6 June 2000Weren't 80's shows the greatest? There are some great shows out there today but nothing like The Dukes of Hazard, The Incredible Hulk and The A-Team. What an absolutely fantastic idea to have four Vietnam Vets on the run from the law and along the way solving crimes and puzzles for people that can afford them. How many of us can remember the bickering of B.A and Murdock? Remember how funny it was to watch Hannibal and Murdock trick B.A into drinking his milk? All of this was done to knock him out so they could fly somewhere (B.A. was afraid of flying). Hannibal smoking his cigars and then spewing out cool lines like " I love it when a plan comes together. " Faceman could infiltrate any establishment, not through brute force but with his wit and ability to disguise himself. And Murdock was just plain crazy, or was he? Many people have alluded to the fact no one ever got hurt either. How many times did Hannibal shoot out someone's tires and the car would flip over 500 times and then the occupants would get out of the car just rubbing their neck and grimacing a bit? Classic stuff. I also think the A-Team was a distant cousin of MacGyver because they could build anything out of anything. They would be locked in a warehouse by the bad guys and that warehouse would just happen to have a blow-torch and a bunch of steel in it. Low and behold, they would build themselves a tank. Sure this is all incredibly silly but so entertaining.
Some 90's shows are great. Friends and Cheers and Frasier and I'm sure a bunch of others are awesome, but they can not match the sheer innocence and brilliance of shows like the A-Team. Maybe I am biased because I grew up in the 80's but I truly feel that way. The A-Team is one show that I wish would show up in syndication here in Toronto. It was fun, imaginative and damn entertaining. Just like most other entertainment that was born in the 80's.
A true staple of the 80's
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CuriosityKilledShawn3 July 2000It's just a pity it only ran for 3 years. I was only a kid then but I imagine it was one of the top rating shows. When I say that The A-Team was inventive I really mean it.
Every show would have them locked in a barn or warehouse, by a corrupt Sheriff or Mayor, that just happens to be loaded with equipment of some kind. The A-Team then invent some kind of crazy machine that enables them to break out and defeat the bad guys. Not before a montage of them building the machine to a variation of the classic A-Team theme tune.
Every 10th show would be about Deckard and how he wanted to catch the A-Team "for a crime they didn't commit", but he never did. They were just too clever.
The show was always critized for being too farfetch'd. It's true though. A car would be blown up and the passengers would walk out, cough and dust themselves down...totally unharmed. And The A-Teams uncanny ability to fashion a rocket launcher out of a pringles tube and an orange was just too much for some folks. But that's what made it so good. -
RudeBoyGunslinger19 January 2007I grew up with the A-Team, it is part of my childhood. I loved it, as i did knight rider!!!!! BRing it back.... All the cast were great, but my favourite of course was B.A Barackas. All those gold chains!! and his attitude, very cool.
All the characters were just so different, yet they seamlessly worked together and made a great team.
I always wanted to be part of the gang. Anyway, I really hope that it keeps going. It seems children don't really have these sort of shows anymore. This was great for an 8 year old.. yet it was so grownup. Watching the show always brings back my childhood. I hope I can get a DVD of some of the series, and I will definitely get my own kids to see it. Only because I really want them to gain same imagination and richness that the show provided me. -
Funny , entertainment , comedy and noisy action with the nostalgic team . Entertaining series created by Stephen J. Cannell , Frank Lupo and John Ashley , with an appropriate cast and spectacular special effects plenty of shootouts and crashes with cars and trucks and continuous leaps . This mythical series ¨A Team¨ , starts developing the meeting between Annibal Smith , and his pals . Four Vietnam vets, accused for a crime they didn't commit, help the innocent while on the run from the military. As as soldiers were ordered to steal the Bank of Hanoi. However, the man who ordered them was killed and no one else can verify their story. They would be attempted and found guilty but after that they escape from the facility where they were being held and went underground in Los Angeles. While on the lam, they became heroes for hire, working as good-guy vigilantes around the US or the world . Annibal (the early deceased George Peppard) and his team were wrongly framed for stealing and subsequently escaping .Hannibal Smith was their chief and an expert at disguises . Templeton Faceman (Dirk Benedict) was the team's con artist and lady's man . M. A. Baracus (Mr T) with extreme panic to flight , he was their mechanic , but also took care of mayhem and intimidation . The final member of the Team , "Howling Mad" Murdock Dwight Schulz), was an expert but nutty pilot, and a certified lunatic , but they broke him out of a mental hospital whenever they needed him for dangerous missions . They escaped and went on the run, pursued by Col. Decker (Lance LeGault) and Captain Crane (Carl Franklin).
This entertaining story is concentrated on known characters as well as thrill-packed action and special effects , though there're numerous of that too . The series has unstopped action , tension , comedy , emotion, suspense and sensational scenarios like is customary development in the successful franchise . Spectacular , exciting , hilarious , fast-paced and thrilling , this is the description of the nostalgic series : ¨A Team¨ , a splendid saga through a perfect pulse narrative that does not give a second of rest to spectator who is trapped in a genuine visual spectacle . Humor , thrills , several agreeable characters and trademark effects abound and will please the series enthusiasts as well as the neophyte . Along with a great number of guest stars , such as : William Lucking , Robert Vaughn , Eddie Velez , Morgan Woodward , Michael Lerner , Alex Rocco , Hulk Hogan , Beau Starr , Barry Corbin, Dana Elcar , Ernie Hudson , and many others .
The agreeable acting convinces , especially the leader George Peppard , along with the sympathetic as well as womanizer Dirk Benedict , the nutty Dwight Schultz and the hunk Mr. T , while other players also make a nice work as Melinda Culea . The moving series amazes the spectator , in which the nail-biting and spectacular scenes create a perfect union that terminates with an ending that leaves you stuck in the armchair facing the formidable spectacle as a privileged witness . Atmospheric soundtrack by Mike Post with the classic leitmotif , he composes an impressive musical accompaniment to the film . Suitable for family viewing , it's an entertaining adventure which young and old men will enjoy . Fans of the series will find very bemusing and fun . It is amusing to watch and aficionados are sure to love it , resulting to be one of the popular TV series of the eighties .
It had a fun cinematic remake , a return to the classic series created and produced by Stephen J Cannell and by Ridley Scott : "The A-Team" , directed by Joe Carnahan with Liam Neeson ,Bradley Cooper , Quinto Rampage jackson , Sharlto Copley . It is an excellent homage to the entertaining episodes with a complex intrigue but following the canon and overemphasis on usual characterization and special effects . It deals with our team, at the end of their stint in Irak Col. John "Hannibal" Smith and after making a mission and returning to the base their commanding General -Gerald McRaney- is murdered in a blow up and the plates are robbed and they are condemned to an US and Germany military prison . And of course , special appearance in brief cameos from Dwight Schulz and Dirk Benedict , though doesn't appear Mr. T. It is the rebirth of the series, an enjoyable homage , the start of a new scenario . Fans of the series may find much to love , but others will be bewildered by excessive and breathtaking situations . -
bevo-1367830 March 2020Nobody does cars flipping over as well as this show. Bravo
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Aaron137513 March 2010Yes, this show is kind of like a lot of 80's shows in that it started out blazing with the first show being a hit and then toys and other stuff related to the show are a complete hit too. Then mysteriously it fades fast, gets canceled and its stars either move on to new things are they really do nothing. Kind of like "Alf" as that show started really popular and then died rather quickly leaving in its wake a toy line and everything. I loved this one as a kid, the shows not quite as enjoyable now that I am an adult. I had the B.A. action figure along with crazy Murdock and I even had a replica van that doubled as a cool tent or fort. The show had lots of action with virtually no killing during the early episodes. I am not so sure of the episodes after they got caught and began working for the government as I really did not like that new format so I never watched the show after that happened. Amazingly at one point this was considered the most violent show on television. In this day and age that seems like a joke, heck even back then it was kind of a joke as "Miami Vice" was also on during this time and it was a tad more graphic in its depiction of violence. The show though was a good mixture of action and some humor as well. Never getting really serious except for maybe a show or two. The show was about a bunch of former soldiers on the run as the government wanted them for some crimes they were not guilty of, and they would go out and help people who were getting attacked, blackmailed or anything of that nature by obvious bullying villains. They would come to save the day and usually make some really cool weapons out of virtually anything. Then the show kind of lost it for me when they were captured. Still, a nice little action show of the 80's.
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Roxie9929 May 2022The original A-Team had it all. Action, drama, comedy and lots of blowing things up. I am watching reruns now and it still has it. Highly recommend if you need to get away from the real world crap.
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A team of four US soldiers are framed for robbing a bank in Vietnam and sent to military prison. They escape and become mercenaries, though with the aim of fighting for the good guys. The members of the team all have special skills, making for a perfect combination.
A show I enjoyed as a teenager. The military aspect, the action scenes, the humour - it all worked very well. Even as a teenager though, the fact that every episode would involve an enormous amount of ordnance being expended and nobody getting killed, seemed a bit unrealistic...
However, looking back as an adult it was quite cheesy and formulaic. Still, it had me enthralled when I was young. -
safenoe17 August 2021The A-Team was 80s personified in pop culture, along with Knight Rider, Magnum PI, Hart to Hart and maybe Murder, She Wrote for the older audience I guess. The first two seasons were superb, but the later seasons kind of lost its sparkle. But still, any A-Team is better than none.
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jmworacle-990256 March 2020After a strong start things started to go down hill. It seemed to start when Melinda Culea was let go because George Peppard wanted an all guy club. Then the plots seem to have the gratuitous shooting scenes with multiple shooting with automatic rifles and with that you have the car crashes in which the driver always escapes without injury. Then you a the banter between "Howling Mad" Murdock and B.A. Baracus with the latter firing back by saying: "Shut up you crazy fool!" The accuracy of the "locations" one episode had a judges daughter being kidnapped off of a cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea. Only problem is that ship in question never saw that part of that part of the world. My favorite is an episode that was filmed in FT. Lauderdale, Florida and the mountain scenes off of the beach were "interesting" to say the least. I'm from South Florida and have driven by the beaches several times and the only "mountains" I've recalled seeing were on the bikini clad ladies.
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bkoganbing10 February 2008Judging by the comments I see, The A-Team certainly had its legion of fans. I have to confess to a guilty pleasure in watching it, but when I look back, I can't believe how dumb it was.
In thinking back on all the episodes you could probably count on the fingers of one hand and have a digit or two to spare of the number of people who actually met their demise. Talking about shoot to wound, it was more like shoot to wreck. Nobody ever got killed with all the weaponry the outlaw A-Team could bring to bear. They'd shoot up vehicles however at a prodigious rate and the bad guys would be too banged up in the wreck to continue the fight. Or they'd shoot a tree branch down on the head of a villain. Stuff like that, but they never killed anyone with all those automatic weapons. Of course if people actually died, it would sort of remove the playfulness that characterized the show.
The best thing The A-Team had going for it was its members, all very individual personalities even if they did function as a team. George Peppard was the leader, planner, organizer who came up with such intricate schemes to help their clients that he fell in love with his own plans. As Mr. T would say, 'he was on the jazz'.
Although Peppard was billed first it was Mr. T that people remember best from the show. Interesting in that he was the only black and an enlisted man, a sergeant. He was incredibly innovative in terms of fashioning weapons when the team was denied the use of their regular hardware. He had a fear of only one thing, flying and that was used for many a gag.
Of course a fear of flying was understandable if the pilot was one H.M. Murdock. There was a Marine general from World War II named Holland M. "Howling Mad" Smith, but he had nothing on Murdock. Dwight Schultz could drive anyone bonkers except the unflappable Peppard. Mr. T. as B.A. Baracus had a running fight with crazy Murdock the entire run of the series.
The fourth member of the group was Templeton Peck, product of an orphanage who as Face learned to live by his wits early on in life. He was the conman, the procurer of whatever was needed by the team at a given situation. He was played by Dirk Benedict with a certain amount of smarmy charm though he was always in a good cause. The team would not be involved in anything less.
The team were outlaws, tried and convicted for crimes in Vietnam we are assured they did not commit and escaped from military prison. They also had to avoid the Military Police and the various people like William Lucking, Jack Ging, and Lance LeGault sent by the army to capture who pretty much always failed.
The first season the team had an outside contact in Brenda Starr like reporter, Melinda Culea. She left the show and I can't really blame her as her role gradually got dumbed down to camp follower. This was one testosterone driven show.
I have to say though that of the group Dwight Schultz is an actor who still fascinates me whenever I see him. No one really knew who he was before The A-Team. Since he left he's played an astounding variety of roles that still leave me in awe of the man's talent. And most of them far from the comic vein of Howling Mad Murdock.
So with some god awful stories, but a cast that really clicked, The A-Team ran for three seasons with same formula. Why then did producer Stephen Cannell decide to alter things by having The A-Team captured by the Military Police, but given a stay of execution so that General Robert Vaughn could use them for rogue intelligence assignments. You don't want to let guys with these kind of skills go to waste, but it destroyed the show. They even added another member of the team, Eddie Velez, presumably to bring in a Latino demographic. Velez was all right in his role, but it was like he was an interloper in an established show. The A-Team got canceled, presumably they're still doing intelligence work while collecting their military pensions, if indeed they were entitled to them with a court martial conviction.
I used to say loud and long at how dumb this show was, but I did watch it and I suspect many were like me. I guess we were all on the jazz. -
stp4330 January 2004The A-Team was one of three shows - the others being The Cosby Show and Miami Vice - that rescued NBC in the 1980s, and this mixture of action and comedy still holds up as an entertaining concoction.
The show succeeds primarily on the personalities of the cast. George Peppard's career was drying up and looked half past dead when he was cast as flamboyant Colonel John H. "Hannibal" Smith; his performances gave his career the boost it otherwise would not have gotten as in the manner of Leslie Nielsen he found his niche in comedic flamboyance after nearly two decades as a straight lead or in a character role.
Dirk Benedict brings Starbuck to Earth (best shown in the show's most overt and best in-joke, the shot of a Cylon centurion guide at Universal Studios walking past Templeton Peck with the intimidating hum of its eye scanner added to the soundtrack) and scores again as the slightly decedent but ultimately sympathetic rogue who is the team's primary scam expert. Peck is something of the dry-witted observor of the crazy happenings to the team during its adventures.
Mr. T had become a household name in Rocky III but it was The A-Team that cemented his persona with his trademark "Shut up, fool!" and general attitude with a heart of gold. Bosco Arnold Baracus was always feuding with the team's pilot, Hector M. Murdoch, committed to a VA psycho ward due to insanity concocted in the Vietnam war - insanity that is just a ruse for Murdoch to better help the team.
It may seem odd to think of Dwight Schultz as a qualified Broadway performer, but his career has been in that vein, and his role of Murdoch made him a true TV star; Schultz gave Murdoch his personality but he also tempered him with believeable torment, best shown in the show's warmest episode "Bounty," co-starring Schultz' reallife wife Wendy Fulton. Murdoch can be funny, but as Wendy helps bring out in this episode, Schultz is also a qualified dramatic performer.
Ultimately fleshing out the show was the Gerard-esque pursuer of the team, Colonel Roderick Decker. Lance LeGault portrayed Decker and made one of TV's best recurring villians. Decker gained sympathy from his determination and it showed in one of the show's weaker episodes, "Incident At Crystal Lake" where he and his executive officer Captain Crane are attacked by four criminals and brutally beaten; no pleasure is derived from seeing Decker and Crane brutalized; if anything the viewer despises this scene precisely because the two Army officers are so humiliated. This sympathy angle is best shown in the show's flashback episode "Curtain Call" where Decker has the team cornered and they offer no resistance to arrest and also in a later episode where Hannibal needs to protect the family of his client from mobsters, and the only way he can is to draw Decker into the fray.
As Crane, future director Carl Franklin displays superb chemistry with LeGault throughout the run of the show, and it was a mystery when, after two episodes of the show's 1985-6 season, Crane was curiously dropped.
This is a show where everything revolves around personality. The plots and production values are deliberately on a budget; it is the personality of the characters that drives the show and makes it work. Hannibal always loves it when a plan comes together, B.A. is always cantankerous and terrified of flying (except, curiously, in one 1986 episode where Peck is rescued and they fly out in a helicopter), Templeton Peck always has a scam running, and Murdoch is always engagingly nuts.
And it all works, each episode, of a pivotal action comedy series of the 1980s. -
anstamatopoulos22 August 2001"A-team"is one of the best tv-series ever.Four veterans of Vietnam war are wrongfully accused and now they are outlaws.Peppard is very good in his role.He plays Hannibal,the leader of the four.I think is the best role of Peppard!But Mr.T as B.A is also outstanding."A_team"is not only adventure and crime.It has also comedy and sometimes romance.If you like "MacGyver" you are going to love "A-Team".Also if you are fun of Robert Vaughn you must see "A-Team" because Vaughn plays general Stockwell.A mysterious person who is a friend and an enemy of the four veterans.
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brehd225 October 2018Great series 👌🏻 The A Team could get out of any situation! Great memories
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jboothmillard18 January 2021I always heard about and saw clips for this 1980s show on various clip shows and documentaries, including Bring Back... The A-Team with Justin Lee Collins, and I watched the 2010 movie based on the show with Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper. I was really happy when a TV channel started repeating the show from the beginning, so I could finally have the opportunity to watch it and see why it was so popular, created by Stephen J. Cannell (21 Jump Street, The Rockford Filmes) and Frank Lupo. In the words of the opening monologue: "In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum-security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire The A-Team." Basically, the show revolves around the adventures of a team of four characters, a United States Army Special Forces unit who were court-martialled and escaped, who stay in hiding until they are found and hired, or until they come out themselves. These men are: cigar-smoking leader and master of disguise Lieutenant Colonel/Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith (George Peppard), smooth-talking conman and ladies' man Lieutenant Templeton Peck aka "Face" or "Faceman" (Dirk Benedict) (Tim Dunigan in the pilot), skilled pilot and certified nutter Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Dwight Schultz), and gold chain wearing, mohawked, bad-tempered strong man and mechanic Sergeant First Class Bosco Albert Baracus, better known as "B.A." Baracus, or "Bad Attitude" Baracus (Mr. T). In the first four seasons, episodes mostly consisted of characters in trouble, often being terrorised by bad guys, who need help. They somehow contact The A-Team, and Hannibal often meets them in disguise, to make sure they are not the military after them. The team often have to break out Murdock from his Veterans' Affairs mental institution, as he is declared insane. Face often has to blag his way to getting things to help the team complete their mission, whether it be vehicles, parts, money or whatever else. Murdock can fly absolutely anything, but B.A. has a fear of flying and always refuses to get into a plane or helicopter, especially with Murdock piloting, so he is always knocked out with drugs or a bash to the head. The team always manage to go against the villains, with many guns, bombs and grenades firing and blasting all over the place, as well as hand-made weapons, vehicles and gadgets to assist them. The running joke throughout the show is that no-one ever died (being a kid's show), none of the bad guys or other characters are ever seen hurt, injured or dying, even when vehicles and everything else are seen blowing up. For the first two seasons, the team also had assistance from female characters, reporter Amy Amanda Allen (Melinda Culea) was a tough character who liked to get involved in the action, and reporter Tawnia Baker (Marla Heasley) was their informer who sometimes joined in, but otherwise it was a very masculine show. Throughout the series, the team are also often on the run from the U.S. military trying to catch them, with MPs Colonel Francis Lynch (William Lucking), Colonel Roderick Decker (Lance LeGault), and General Harlan "Bull" Fulbright (Jack Ging) often leading squads to chase after and capture the team, always without success. By the fourth or fifth season (following falling ratings), after years of being on the run, the team were finally apprehended by the military. Mysterious CIA operative General Hunt Stockwell (Robert Vaughn) made them a deal to give them full pardons if they worked for the military to carry out suicide missions, along with help from Frankie "Dishpan Man" Santana (Eddie Velez), and sometimes Stockwell himself. It is during one mission, on the same side as General Fullbright, that after a mission to rescue Fullbright's daughter Tia (Tia Carrere), Fullbright becomes the only character in the show to die, when he is shot in the back by a bad guy and dies in his daughter's arms. In the end, the A-Team were supposedly close to being pardoned, but it implied that the missions would continue. Also starring Carl Franklin as Captain Crane, Bill Dyer as various characters, Red West as various characters, Hulk Hogan as himself, June Chadwick as Carla Singer, Andrew Robinson as Jackson / Deputy Rance, John Saxon as Martin James / Kalem, Dennis Franz as Sam Friendly / Brooks, Charles Napier as Burt Cross / Army Colonel Briggs, Geoffrey Lewis as Kale Sykes / Colonel Mack Stoddard, Barry Van Dyke (Dick Van Dyke's son) as Dr. Brian Lefcourt, The Fifth Element's Brion James as Ryder / David Plout, Live and Let Die's Clifton James as Warden Beale / Sheriff Jake Dawson, The Breakfast Club's Paul Gleason as Roy Kelsey / Harry Sullivan, Bill McKinney as Clint / Royko, Licence to Kill's Don Stroud as Deke Watkins / Walter Tyler, Ed Lauter as Sheriff Hank Thompson / Major Douglas Kyle, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's Daphne Reid as Nurse Lewis / Kamora Kaboko, Xander Berkeley as Baker / Sergeant Wilson, Batman: The Animated Series' Richard Moll as Churlisco, Andrew Divoff as various characters, Robert Davi as Boyle, Elisha Cook Jr. as Jim Beam, Isaac Hayes as C.J. Mack, David Hedison as David Vaughn, Ray Wise as Phillip Chadway, Boy George as himself, David White as Rudy / Charles Winston, Michael Ironside as Miler Crane, Yaphet Kotto as Charles 'East-Side Charlie' F. Struthers, John Amos as Reverend Taylor, Kurtwood Smith as Mr. Carson, Diamonds Are Forever's Bruce Glover as Tepper, Licence to Kill's Christopher Neame as Jack Scarett, All Quiet on the Western Front's Lew Ayres as Bernie Greene, Ghostbusters' Ernie Hudson as Cal Freeman, Rocky's Tony Burton as Burke, Walter Gotell as Ramon DeJarro, House of 1000 Corpses' Sid Haig as Sonny Jenko, Airplane's Al White as Police Officer Steven Meadows, Michael Cavanaugh as Joseph King, Lance Henriksen as Mack Dalton, Dr. No's Joseph Wiseman as Zeke Westerland, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's James Avery as Quint, Police Academy's Art Metrano as Nick Gretsch, Liar Liar's Mitchell Ryan as Ike Hagen, Mars Attacks' Jim Brown as Steamroller, Terminator 2: Judgement Day's Castulo Guerra as Martien, The Bird's Lonny Chapman as Henderson, Flash Gordon's Melody Anderson as Avon, Dawn of the Dead's Ken Foree as Dirkson, Lost's M.C. Gainey as C.W. Watkins, Far from Heaven's Dennis Haysbert as Psych Ward Staff, and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure's Al Leong as various characters. Peppard is good as the leader with his catchphrase "I love it when a plan comes together!", Benedict is likeable as the charming scammer, and Schultz is often entertaining being crazy and over-the-top. But Mr. T became the huge star all over the world, being tough and grouchy, but he did have a softer side, and some catchphrases, including "I ain't getting' on no plane" and "crazy fool" ("I pity the fool" was in Rocky III). The first two series are the most fun, seeing how the team will help those in need and defeat their foes, the later series got repetitive, and the final series is a bit of a let-down. There are also the rumours about the tensions between Peppard, who was known for his bad-boy reputation, and Mr. T; they did not get on in later series as Mr. T became more popular and made more money, old Hollywood star Peppard did not accept it. When I watched it, I was expecting it to be dated or daft, in fact it is indeed good 80s entertainment, with great characters, good storylines in most episodes, funny and interesting subplots, and plenty of guns blazing and explosive moments, a most watchable action-adventure show. B.A. Baracus was number on The 100 Greatest TV Characters. Good!
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markchilds-5254528 January 2021I know the show isn't perfect but no-one can argue with how iconic it is. I can't express how much joy the show has brought me over the years. It's action packed with a great level of comedy. The film reboot was okay but lost a lot of what made the show great. If it was made today, it would likely have CGI effects instead of the big explosions etc. I love all four characters and I feel they all add something. It's a shame they god rid of Amy as I felt she fitted in well. I would say that the later series are a bit weaker at times but I do love the series 5 "movie."
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Zooha-4720716 February 2024The A-Team is a series that encapsulates a certain era of television with its blend of action and humor, earning a respectable 7/10 from me. Known for its iconic characters and memorable catchphrases, the show remains a fun watch, especially for those who enjoy classic action series.
One of the key appeals of The A-Team is its consistent formula, which, while reliable, also becomes its limitation. Each episode typically follows a similar pattern - the team is approached for help, they hatch a plan, encounter obstacles, and eventually triumph. This predictability offers a sense of comfort and familiarity, but it also means that the series lacks variety in its storytelling.
Despite this repetitive structure, the show's charm lies in its characters. The chemistry among the team members, each with their distinct personality and skill set, makes for entertaining viewing. Their interactions, often laced with humor and camaraderie, are highlights of the series. -
Brownsbros39 January 2008As a kid growing up in the 80's, the A-Team is one of my all time favorite shows. It had everything from action to suspense, drama, and comedy. I enjoyed watching them elude the military, and then still find time to help folks along the way. Hannibal's catchphrase, "I love it when a plan comes together," was one of my many favorite parts to go along with Face's skirt chasing, Murdoch's wackiness, and B.A. kicking everyone's butt.
I hated that they got rid off Melinda Cullea, who played Amy Allen. I thought she added some depth to the show. The second lady they brought in to play Tanya Baker was better looking, but was a lousy actress.
Throughout the series run, it was well documented that George Peppard and Mr. T didn't get along. The debate was over who was the star of the show. Personally, I don't think there was one star of that show. I think they needed all four of those guys (George, Dirk, Dwight, and Mr. T) to make the series work. -
view_and_review20 March 2024How did "A-Team" start?
"In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit... If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them...maybe you can hire The A-Team."
What an intro and what a show.
I watched the A-Team for two reasons:
1.) Mr. T
2.) Cool explosions and handmade weapons.
It was easy to like a flashy character like B. A. Baracus (Mr. T), but a team is made up of several individuals. So they had to have Hannibal (George Peppard), Murdock (Dwight Schultz), and Peck (Dirk Benedict). Besides, who was going to knock B. A. unconscious so that they could fly somewhere? -
walsh-228 June 2007Even being a girl, I love watching the A-Team.
My favourite character has always been Face (Dirk Benedict), I always had a crush on him and I loved the way he could charm and con people into doing what he wanted. He was such a lovable character.
I did like the chemistry between B.A. (Mr. T) and Murdock (Dwight Schultz). Murdock always looked up to B.A. as if he could do no wrong and Murdock used to drive B.A. nuts but he did care for Murdock, although he never showed it to Murdock. There were some funny scenes where B.A. would get his revenge on Murdock at the end of the programme.
What's not to like about The A-Team, the stories are fun and gripping, you always wonder how they will get out of the situations they get themselves in. There is humour, explosions, ingenious uses for the rubbish around them to be used as weapons, interesting characters, a theme song that rocked and the fact you always rooted for the good guys to win.
Side note: Robert Vaughn (Gen. Hunt Stockwell) did not ruin The A-Team. He did a very good job and shouldn't be criticised because of it being cancelled. -
ronbell-2398421 June 2019I watched one rerun episodes this week and it is exactly as I remember, cheesy cr@p, not even in a funny way.
This has to be the most overrated TV show from the decade that was the 1980's. -
cariart26 December 2003"The A-Team" is a guilty pleasure for the two generations of viewers who have embraced the series. It never attempted to be "Masterpiece Theater", but 'cotton candy for the brain', with the best episodes replaying the same scenario over and over (Underdog gets mauled by Big Bad Villain and his Baddies...calls in Our Heroes, who end up defending the Underdog on a 'deferred payment' plan...Our Heroes Stomp the Baddies, then get themselves captured...in true "MacGiver"-like fashion, they use the materials at hand, creating homemade lethal, yet non-fatal weapons in insanely short order...the Baddies are Crushed, and Our Heroes split, seconds before the Authorities arrive to arrest them). What made the series so popular was never the 'ritual' of the plots, however; if you loved the show, it was because of the chemistry of the stars. Hannibal, B.A., Face, and Murdock were all likable guys, and seemed to enjoy every moment together...and fans of the series have always 'picked up' on that camaraderie.
The brainchild of Stephen Cannell and Frank Lupo, NBC loved the concept of the show, and gave the series a prime 'starting' point, airing the pilot episode after a Super Bowl, guaranteeing great initial ratings. Featuring Tim Dunigan as 'Face' (Dirk Benedict was unavailable for the pilot), the show benefited enormously from Mr. T's presence, as ROCKY 3 had made him an overnight star. Another 'plus' was George Peppard's return to weekly television; his "Banecek" had been a much loved NBC series, until he walked off the show (Cannell, one of the writers of the earlier series, understood the ex-alcoholic Peppard's occasional mood swings, and offered him a large salary and a lot of creative control in the new series, resulting in one of the happier periods in the actor's tragic life).
A major discovery for "The A-Team" was Dwight Schultz, as 'Howling Mad Murdock'. A remarkably versatile actor, Schultz was adept at accents, physical humor, and rapid-fire one-liners, and his exchanges with Mr. T were funny without ever being demeaning. Peppard took a liking to the young actor, as well, and the warmth between the pair could be seen in nearly every episode. With Benedict's arrival (he had been the break-out star of "Battlestar Galactica", and had a large female following), Peppard had all the elements he felt were needed to make "The A-Team" work...which didn't bode well for the one female regular, Melinda Culea, as reporter Amy Allen. Although she gave the show a more balanced slant, and was excellent in her role, Peppard always considered her a 'fifth wheel'...and when Cannell did not renew her contract for the third season, it was generally assumed that George Peppard used his leverage to oust her. A new female character was introduced, played by Marla Heasley, but her character would remain less active, and would have a story 'arc' that would have her leave the series in 1985.
A television show with a single concept, no matter how enjoyable the cast, can't run indefinitely, and by the end of the fourth season, "The A-Team" had pretty well exhausted all the variations the writers could imagine. Entertainment figures (Hulk Hogan, Boy George and the Culture Club, Rick James, Isaac Hayes) appeared in weak efforts to bolster ratings, and NBC pressured Cannell to make major changes to the series.
Bowing to network pressure, the fifth season began by having the A-Team finally captured and court-martialed. Escaping with the aid of new regular Frankie Santana (Eddie Velez), the team soon found themselves 'prisoners' of a secret government agency run by Gen. Hunt Stockwell (Robert Vaughn), who offered them full pardons if they would take on a number of assignments "too risky" for the U.S. intelligence community to handle. The episodes sank to formulaic "Mission Impossible" clones, with George Peppard's authority lost to new boss Vaughn, and the 'blue-collar' charm of the earlier seasons sadly absent. When the series was canceled, while fans mourned, few were surprised.
What has been a surprise is the 'cult' status the series has achieved in the years since it left the air. While George Peppard never lived long enough to see it happen (he died in 1994, from pneumonia), the still-growing popularity of the show has been a source of pride and amazement for Benedict, Schultz, and Mr. T (who nearly died of cancer, but has made a complete recovery), and the show is about to re-emerge as a feature film, with Stephen Cannell producing.
Not bad for a 'single concept' series!